The Li family's rooster next door was crowing at the top of its lungs. Yang Ling had been sleeping soundly when he woke up in a daze. He reached out to touch his chest, but his chest was empty. He hurriedly opened his eyes. His blanket was empty, and he was the only one left in it.
Yang Ling smiled bitterly. He wanted to take good care of her, but he didn't expect her to wake up so early while he was still sleeping. He grabbed his clothes and put them on. It was a green robe with a few patches.
He went outside and looked around, but he didn't see Han Youniang's shadow. Yang Ling walked out of the courtyard. The weather was too cold, and the cold air rushed into his nose. He stretched his hands and feet and expanded his chest. He felt that his spirit had recovered a lot.
The first light of dawn shone. This was a small village built on the hillside. There were more than ten houses, most of which were shabby. There were also dozens of houses at the foot of the hillside. It seemed that the houses there were not bad. They should belong to relatively wealthy families.
Yang Ling was standing on the right side of the wall and looking down the hill. Suddenly he heard the courtyard door creak. He turned his head and saw a big bundle of firewood. There was still some snow on the branches. There was a small person below. Compared to the huge firewood, it was really dwarfed. A small face appeared in the fluffy pile of firewood. Her face was red from the cold.
Yang Ling hurriedly ran over and said shyly: "Young-niang, why did you … Quickly, put it down. Why did you chop so much firewood?"
When Han Youniang saw him, she was even more anxious than him. She hurriedly put the firewood aside and ran over to help him with the axe. She said anxiously: "Husband, why did you come out again? It's so cold outside. Go back to the house."
Yang Ling was angry with himself. He grabbed the axe from Young-niang's hand and threw it aside. He held her red little face and said emotionally: "Young-niang, don't chop so much firewood in the future. You should wake me up. This kind of work should be done by us men."
Han Youniang's face was cupped by him, and her heart felt warm. She said seriously, "How can I do that? You are an Elementary Scholar. If you do this kind of menial work, people will laugh at you. Husband, quickly go back into the house, don't catch a cold. "
Her hands were also ice-cold, the backs of her hands were red, and her ten fingers were somewhat stiff. Yang Ling wrapped her small hands in his and quickly walked into the house, saying, "You should hurry inside to warm up. You're wearing too little." He said with some sadness, "Is your family so poor that you don't even have a single piece of clothing?"
Han Youniang smiled shyly and said, "No, I still have a new set of clothes. I want to wear it for the New Year, but I can't bear to use it now. Husband, you must be hungry. I'll go and cook. "
Yang Ling's nose turned sour, and he thought to himself: "Ox-head and Horse-face, you guys win. If you don't let such a pitiful and cute girl live a good life, even if you let me live for another thousand years, I won't go back."
He dragged Han Youniang to the edge of the kang bed and sat her down. He opened his shirt and placed her hands in his arms. He took out his manly manner and said overbearingly, "Sit down obediently and warm your hands first. Look at how cold you are."
Han Youniang looked at him in a daze. She sniffled and suddenly started sobbing. Yang Ling was stunned and asked anxiously, "Young-niang, what's wrong?"
Han Youniang took out a hand from his arms and wiped her tears. She smiled embarrassedly and said, "Nothing, I'm happy. Husband, you're really too good to me. Young-niang being able to marry you is Young-niang's good fortune."
Han Youniang really felt incomparably satisfied. The heavens really treated her well. Not only did they return her husband to her, he was also so gentle and considerate. He didn't have the airs of a Xiucai at all. This world really gave her too much. Satisfaction and happiness filled her little heart. Looking at her easily satisfied and happy expression, Yang Ling couldn't help but hug her in his arms.
Breakfast was still corn porridge and salted vegetables. Young-niang made more porridge than the night before. After all, she had been hungry for two meals. The food that was hard to swallow was also a little fragrant to Yang Ling. He stepped on the iced radish and suddenly asked, "Young-niang, how much is an acre of land now?"
Han Youniang was startled and said, "Husband, if it's good land in Datong Xuan Prefecture, an acre of land would be worth about six to eight taels of silver. Our land here is about four taels of silver."
"Only four taels of silver?" Yang Ling was disappointed. Han Youniang blinked her eyes and said in confusion, "Four taels of silver is not a small amount. That's four strings of coins. It's enough for us farmers for two years."
Yang Ling was shocked. He was used to thinking about problems from the perspective of his own generation. After asking her skillfully, he found out that a tael of silver was worth about a thousand copper coins. It was conservative to say that it could be used for two years. Some small families could use it for more than three or four years if they used it frugally. No wonder Youniang said it was not a small amount. However, that calculation referred to growing the crops themselves. Otherwise, a tael of silver would at most be enough for a year.
Young-niang carefully calculated. An acre of land was four taels of silver. Four acres of land would be sixteen taels of silver. It was not a small amount. It would probably be enough for Young-niang to use for more than ten years. However, looking at the situation yesterday, if he wasn't here, the Yang clansmen wouldn't easily let Young-niang have the land.
However … if he wanted to sell the land, no one would have the right to stop him. He secretly calculated for a while and said, "Young-niang, I want to sell the land and house and move to the city."
Han Youniang's eyes widened in shock. She said anxiously, "What? This … how can we do this? That's the land left by my father-in-law and mother-in-law. How can we lose it in our hands? Husband, are you worried that we won't be able to make ends meet? You don't have to worry. These days, because you were ill, I didn't dare to leave your side. Now that your body has recovered, you just need to focus on your studies. I've learned how to hunt from my father since I was a child. In two days, I'll go hunting in the mountains. I just need to get through this winter. I'll be able to repay the famine when our fields have a harvest. "
Yang Ling smiled bitterly and said, "In this world of ice and snow, it is extremely dangerous for a woman like you to go hunting in the mountains. These days, it has been hard on you. I think that with my writing skills, I will be able to find a job in the city. I really … I really can't bear for you to support a useless person like me at your age."
Han Youniang stood up in panic. She didn't know what to do. She said, "Husband, we are husband and wife. How can you say such things? You are an Elementary Scholar. You are a person with a good reputation. How can you do such a despicable thing? "
Yang Ling said disapprovingly, "What's despicable about this? Don't tell me that I am noble if I can't even support my wife? "
Unexpectedly, when Han Youniang heard this, she was so anxious that tears rolled down her cheeks. She sobbed and said, "I can't serve you well. If I let you, an Elementary Scholar, do all those menial chores, how would I be able to face my parents-in-law in the afterlife? Husband, I beg of you, if we have a family, we will have roots. How can we leave our home and wander to other places?"
Yang Ling saw her tears and couldn't help but panic. He quickly put down the bowl and walked around the table. He hugged her and gently wiped her tears. He said in a low voice, "Be good. Young-niang, don't cry. When you cry, my heart feels bad. Listen to me. The provincial examinations will be held next year. Our family doesn't even have enough money to travel. How can we go to the provincial capital for the examinations? Making such a desperate move, fighting with my back to the river, I can also concentrate on my studies. Your husband is the youngest Elementary Scholar in the Xuan Prefecture. Do you believe that I can pass the High Scholar exam? "
Han Youniang quickly nodded her head, "Yes. Young-niang believes that husband will definitely pass the High Scholar exam. After that, you will enter the capital and participate in the court examinations. In the future, you will definitely become a high-ranking official."
Yang Ling laughed, "That's right. Then why do you still care about these few acres of land? If we want to buy a farm, we will buy hundreds of acres of good land. This way, we will be able to bring honor to our ancestors. Won't we be able to face our parents in the future? "
Han Youniang tilted her head and thought about it seriously. She hesitated and said, "What husband says makes sense. But … do we really have to sell the land? How about … we borrow some money from uncle. You can focus on the examinations. I will stay at home and farm. Isn't this much safer? "
Yang Ling looked at this desolate and desolate land. He was like an economist who had fallen into a primitive tribe. Without the current system and productivity, there was no market for the things he knew. In his mind, if he entered the city, he might be able to be like those geniuses who had crossed over to another world. He could create some small inventions and make a fortune. This way, Han Youniang would not have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of her life. That was why he insisted on leaving this place.
However, it was not convenient for him to say this to Han Youniang. He could only find an excuse, "You saw it yesterday. Right now, I really don't want to owe uncle's family any favours. Moreover … "He leaned close to Young-niang's ear and joked," Who did you think I was last night? Have there been some scoundrels who have designs on you these days? How can I feel at ease leaving such a beautiful wife here alone? "
He only thought that these teasing words would make Han Youniang shy and laugh at him. Unexpectedly, after hearing his words, Han Youniang's face turned pale. She suddenly broke free from Yang Ling's embrace and said with a trembling voice, "Husband, are you saying that I attract bees and butterflies and am not a woman? The righteousness of a woman is to be faithful to one man till death. This is the great etiquette of human relations. Although I am the daughter of a hunter's family, I also know these principles of conduct. How could I do such a dirty thing that can't be tolerated by gods and men? "
Yang Ling was shocked. He didn't expect that his joke would cause her to react so violently. He quickly comforted her, "Young-niang, you're thinking too much. I … your husband was just joking with you. I was praising your beauty. How could I blame you? Don't think too much. Alright, it's your husband's fault. Come, come, come. Your husband will be punished. You can hit me."
Yang Ling grabbed Han Youniang's little fist and pounded it on his chest for a while. Seeing her teary eyes and aggrieved face, he suddenly had an idea and pretended to cough a few times. This plan really worked. Han Youniang immediately abandoned her sullenness and supported him in a panic. She said, "Husband, are you not feeling well? Quickly go and lie down. "
Yang Ling secretly laughed in his heart. It seemed that this trick worked every time he used it on her. He pretended to be really weak and allowed her to help him to lie down on the kang bed. Then he coughed and said, "I'm fine. I was just joking. I didn't mean to say something wrong. Seeing that you were sad and angry, I was very clumsy and couldn't explain it clearly. I was anxious, so … cough …"
Han Youniang quickly said, "Young-niang believes me. Young-niang believes me. I'll listen to my husband's arrangements."
She leaned into Yang Ling's arms and hugged his waist. She was afraid that he would get angry and something bad would happen. She repeatedly agreed. After a long time, she faintly sighed and said, "I'll listen to my husband. It's just … please give me a few days. When your body is better, I want to go back to my mother's house in the col and inform my father. You were in a coma a few days ago. Father came to see you and even brought back some game. It's just that … our family is very poor. These days, father, brother, and uncles have gone hunting in the mountains and haven't come back yet. "
Yang Ling readily agreed, "Of course. If we want to sell this property, we can't find a buyer immediately. It will take some time. In two days, I'll go with you to see my father-in-law."
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